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Uniting the world against AIDS
Delivering Results
in Transformative Times
Michel Sidibé
26th Meeting of the
Programme Coordinating Board
22 June 2010
Welcome. It has been a productive six months for all of us. I deeply appreciate your time and many
contributions since we last met.
Thank you, my sister Thoraya Obaid, for our joint mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo and for
bringing together UNAIDS and Women Deliver.Your leadership in the AIDS response has made our
collaboration at the global and country level exemplary. I look forward to hearing you speak on behalf of all
the Cosponsors today.
Thanks also to my friend Ambassador Eric Goosby—together we engaged the new President of Nigeria.
UNAIDS is fully committed to supporting the Obama Administration to enable the Global Health
Initiative to be the engine for reaching universal access in so many countries.
And my special thanks to Prof. Michel Kazatchkine for our joint missions to Mali, South Africa and Malawi
and for our collaboration to virtually eliminate mother-to-child transmission.
I am sad that Sigrun Møgedal and Lennarth Hjelmåker are retiring as AIDS Ambassadors. Both have
blazed many trails and leave a great legacy. Please join me in wishing them well and asking for their
continued support in the global response. We will also miss Marie-Louise Overvad. She has provided model
engagement with UNAIDS and represented her constituency in the PCB with distinction.
Please welcome our new PCB members. For the first time, Botswana has joined us—a country that has
demonstrated that universal access and the virtual elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV can be
achieved in Africa.Your achievement will lead others to follow.
This is also the first participation of Togo on the Board—we are glad you are here at last.
Poland joins us again, 10 years after their first appointment. On behalf of UNAIDS, I want to convey our
sincere condolences on the tragic loss of President Kaczynski in April.
I welcome our seasoned veterans as well.The experience represented on this Board is helping to move our
Joint Programme, and indeed the global AIDS response, in the right direction.
AIDS in motion
Conditions are in flux around the world and the context of AIDS is changing. The global
economic crisis has not abated.
Countries in the North and the South that were once financially secure have moved from relative
abundance to forced austerity, dealing a direct blow to AIDS funding. Struggling economies are
starkly exposed to the risk of ARV stockouts and the spectre of turning new patients away.
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Photo UNAIDS / P. Virot
AIDS in motion
More subtly, the crisis is seen where people living with HIV go without enough food to take
their antiretroviral drugs, or without enough cash to reach the clinic. This week we are seeing
refugees fleeing from the ethnic violence in Kyrgyzstan and lacking access to food and health
services—just as a few months ago in Haiti, we saw a different kind of tragedy unfold.
The epidemic itself is shifting under our feet. Infection is spreading unchecked among
serodiscordant couples and among adults with multiple concurrent heterosexual partnerships.
In Swaziland, where I visited in February, more than 60% of new infections occur among socalled “low-risk” heterosexual people. Our research in West Africa shows that 20 to 30% of new
infections occur among people who are in stable relationships, but who have partners with highrisk behaviours. In Eastern Europe and parts of Asia, an epidemic once characterized by injecting
drug use and sex work is now increasingly affecting heterosexual couples. In Peru, heterosexual
people are becoming infected at a pace that is outstripping most-at-risk groups.
The context of AIDS is changing as it affects mothers and children. Even as maternal mortality
has dropped across the globe, AIDS continues to ravage families. One out of every five maternal
deaths worldwide in 2008 was linked to HIV—in South Africa it was nearly one out of two.
This is a sobering reminder that progress in maternal health is directly dependent on progress in
the AIDS response in countries with the most severe HIV epidemics. I am very pleased that UN
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Joint Action Plan for Maternal and Child Health reflects the
intrinsic links between MDGs 4, 5 and 6.
Gaining ground on shifting sands
I want to acknowledge our partners, Cosponsors and others who in recent months have boldly
raised the bar in the AIDS response, challenging their counterparts to do the same.
Together, the UN family has mobilized bilateral and multilateral partners like the Global Fund
to step up prevention efforts with a view to achieving my call for zero new infections among
people who use drugs by 2015. Decriminalization is essential to this goal, so I am pleased at how
UNODC has led the push to close drug detention centres, to protect the human rights of people
who use drugs and to apply science-based drug dependence treatment instead of incarceration
and punishment.
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Gaining ground on shifting sands
I want to commend the World Food Programme’s new HIV policy, which focuses on nutritional
recovery for people living with HIV and on sustainable safety nets for individuals and families.
Our friends at UNESCO have commissioned an important study on sexuality education
programmes in six countries. With these results, we can better make the case to expand this
investment to cover 1.2 billion adolescents with comprehensive sexuality education. These
programmes reinforce the role of parents and further build the skills and values that bolster
human rights and gender equality.
Just last week, at the ILO’s international conference, governments, employers and workers adopted
a landmark labour standard on HIV and the world of work—the first internationally sanctioned
instrument specifically addressing HIV in the workplace. It reaffirms the right to continued
employment regardless of HIV status and asserts that no worker should be screened for HIV
for employment purposes. With this new standard, we envision that prevention and treatment
programmes in workplaces globally will blossom.
I am so pleased that on behalf of UNAIDS, UNDP will launching the Global Commission on
HIV and the Law later this week. This commission will be critical to identifying and promoting
the kinds of laws and policies that will reduce people’s vulnerability to HIV.
In March, UNAIDS was joined by the Asha-Rose Migiro, Deputy UN Secretary-General; Helen
Clark, UNDP Administrator; Melanne Verveer, US Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s
Issues; and our new Goodwill Ambassador Annie Lennox to launch the Agenda for Accelerated
Country Action for Women, Girls, Gender Equality and HIV. We have already started to
operationalize the plan in 10 strategically important countries in close cooperation with women
living with HIV and women’s movements. By the end of this year, these results will be used to
expand the implementation of the action plan in at least 30 countries.
In March of this year, Thoraya and I had the honour to participate in the first Summit of
Religious Leaders on HIV. I would like to thank our Board Chair, the Netherlands, for hosting
this important meeting in The Hague. The summit united some 40 high-level religious leaders
from the major faith traditions for frank discussions that built stronger leadership and action on
HIV. The meeting’s statement called for increased action to end mother-to-child transmission of
HIV and to challenge the power structures that fuel violence and injustice.
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A new un iversal access m an dat e
I want to salute UNICEF and Tony Lake, its new Executive Director, for the urgent and clear
commitment to HIV, specifically on elimination of mother-to-child transmission. Earlier this
month, we co-hosted a high-level meeting on how to advance this goal with the participation
of principals from UNFPA, WHO, the Global Fund, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation,
Elizabeth Glaser Paediatric AIDS Foundation, PEPFAR and Columbia University. We agreed that,
even in the current climate, this is an ambitious goal that the world can reach by 2015, and it is
up to us to make this a reality.
I also want to recognize the work of the Global Fund in advancing the elimination of mother-tochild transmission. Their reprogramming exercise in the 20 highest burden countries is pivotal to
this success. If you have not already done so, I urge you to see the “Born HIV Free” video with
Carla Bruni-Sarkozy on AIDSspace.
And, in the midst of World Cup fever, I am pleased to report that a UNAIDS campaign is
receiving tremendous support from some of the greatest football players in the world. So far,
the captains of 21 World Cup teams have joined forces to support the UNAIDS “Red Card”
Campaign to eliminate mother-to-child transmission.
A new universal access mandate
Now I want to turn to a critical issue for all of us. Where are we with universal access, and how
we should frame this in 2010 and strategize on the way forward?
At the 2006 UN High-Level Meeting, countries committed to achieve universal access by
2010. We have made significant strides.
By the end of 2008, we had scaled up PMTCT to cover 45% of pregnant women—saving
more than 200,000 babies from HIV infection. In Eastern Europe and Central Asia, more than
90% of HIV-positive pregnant women now have access to PMTCT services.
Thanks to the support of the Global Fund and PEPFAR, by the end of 2009 we reached an
estimated 5 million people in low- and middle-income countries with antiretroviral treatment.
This kind of scale-up is unprecedented in the global history of public health.
This year, UNAIDS is supporting 117 countries to review progress toward their universal
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access targets. These reviews will take stock of steps towards national targets, identify obstacles
and decide collectively about what needs to be done now in order to redouble progress.
Universal access is our shared passion and the beacon of hope—not only to protect millions of
people at risk of HIV and in need of treatment today, but also to foster more just and healthy
societies tomorrow. I know that there are some pessimists, but we cannot allow them to deflect
us from this goal.
I am proud to inform you that this year we received 179 UNGASS reports–one of the highest
response rates in the history of reporting by UN member states. But we are concerned that
current analysis suggests that by the end of 2010, only one third of countries will have reached
the universal access targets they set.
This is why I am calling for the renewal of the Political Declaration of Commitment made
by the UN General Assembly in 2006. A renewal which extends the global commitment and
mandate to achieve universal access to 2015—bringing it in line with the MDG deadline. This
way we can ensure that one of the MDG targets—to achieve universal access for all—is linked
to and reinforced by the other MDGs. This will enable countries to maintain their momentum
in reaching and reporting on universal access through 2015.
This vision was recently captured by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the
Pacific that called for a high-level intergovernmental review progress on HIV and the MDGs
to ensure universal access.
UNAIDS will use all avenues to generate political support for this renewed mandate at the
2011 High-Level Meeting of the UN General Assembly—including in our role as Chair of
H8. But we must build a cohesive strategic alliance to take this agenda forward—beginning at
this week’s G8 and G20 summits, followed by the Vienna International AIDS Conference, the
African Union Summit, the UN MDG Summit, the Global Fund Replenishment meeting and
other international forums.
Universal access may seem like a dream, but as Dom Helder Camara said, “When we are
dreaming alone it is only a dream. When we are dreaming with others, it is the beginning of
reality.”
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A new vision, a reinvigorated mission
A new vision, a reinvigorated mission
I have become increasingly convinced that we must fundamentally refocus the AIDS response—and
UNAIDS—if we are to achieve universal access.
That is why I am requesting this Board to adopt a bold and uncompromising statement of
UNAIDS’ vision for the future: Zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS-related
deaths.
Achieving this vision has implications for the way the Joint Programme works. Building on the
ECOSOC mandate, we have defined our renewed mission as “To lead and inspire the world in
achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.”
Our new vision and mission reflect a dynamic and more agile approach to an epidemic in transition—delivering solid results in a world of swaying circumstances and competing priorities.
Five challenges for today and tomorrow
Last year I laid out a number of issues that UNAIDS must address, including the need to
focus on a limited set of priorities, improve efficiency and improve accountability.
I was pleased when the Second Independent Evaluation confirmed our thinking,
praising UNAIDS’ efforts overall, while affirming that we must continue to build on our
achievements and solidify the new ways in which we have been working.
The evaluation set five important challenges for the Joint Programme, which line up with our
mission and strategic planning efforts—to be more focused, more strategic, more flexible and
responsive, more accountable and more efficient.
I want to talk about our response to these five challenges one at a time.
First, UNAIDS is now more focused. The Outcome Framework is an excellent tool for
keeping our “eyes on the prize.” It has prioritized where we work. It has helped us ensure we
reach the right people with the right interventions. It has changed how we work.
We are targeting interventions where they will have most impact on the epidemic. For example,
we have focused the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV on the 20 high-
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Fi v e c ha l l e ng e s f o r to day an d t omo rrow
burden countries that account for over 85% of pregnant women living with HIV. In May, we
brought together countries and partners in a landmark workshop to discuss how to roll out action
plans in each of theses counties. Our approach to TB/HIV co-infection also targets 21 countries
that contribute to 85% of the global burden of TB cases among people living with HIV.
The Outcome Framework is also guiding countries to focus on the right prevention strategies
for the right populations. We are focusing our harm reduction efforts on 20 countries where
we have the potential to prevent as many as 850,000 new cases of HIV among people who use
drugs between 2010 and 2015.
The Outcome Framework has brought more focus to how the Joint Programme works at
the country level. The Joint UN Teams and national partners in every country have narrowed
down—with a budgeted workplan—three to five priority areas for accelerated action.
This approach was reinforced by the joint letter from Helen Clark and myself to Resident
Coordinators which aims to spur implementation of the Outcome Framework. When I
travelled to Mali with Helen we witnessed how HIV has mobilized the UN Country Team to
“Deliver as One.”
More countries are also achieving high-impact results by focusing political and social
movements around specific interventions. I saw this approach playing out visibly in South
Africa two months ago when President Zuma invited me to the launch of a national HIV
campaign to test 15 million people by 2011. It is the biggest national mobilization around any
single issue since the end of apartheid and the largest HIV counselling, testing and treatment
scale-up in the history of the HIV epidemic. Moreover, South Africa increased its HIV budget
by 33%, allocating $1.1 billion this year. Moreover, President Zuma publicly announced that
he had been circumcised and had encouraged others to undergo the procedure. This is the
kind of leadership needed to link scientific evidence to social change. I would like to applaud
the UNAIDS family for the tireless advocacy, policy dialogue and procurement of technical
support that is making this possible.
Second, we are acting more strategically. The 10 priorities of the Outcome Framework are
supported by four breakthrough strategies that will have multiplier effects across the epidemic:
prevention; treatment; human rights; and integration.
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prevention, treatment, human rights, laws, integration
Prevention: The evaluation noted that prevention remains weak, and that UNAIDS has not
always exercised its leadership potential in this area. This is why I am committed to ensuring
that UNAIDS delivers on what I call a “prevention revolution”—one that has as its ultimate
goal zero new infections.
This revolution will be driven by communities, for communities. It must fully engage affected
people, promoting human rights and gender equality.
Three key ideas underpin the strategy of the prevention revolution. First, having the political
courage to face up to where new infections are happening. Second, focusing on the “game
changers” that will reshape the epidemic, like ending mother-to-child as a mode of HIV
transmission. Third, creating the movement that energizes the revolution from the bottom up
and the top down. HIV prevention messages on every Facebook page can have as much impact
as HIV in a G8 communiqué.
If we are going to break the trajectory of this epidemic, we must acknowledge that the
real barriers have never been technical. They are political and cultural. This is why we have
established the UN High-Level Prevention Commission to galvanize a global political
campaign to support the prevention revolution. Together with a scientific advisory committee,
it will establish a new scientific consensus around what works for prevention. But more
importantly, it will enable the high levels of members of the Commission, led by the Nobel
Laureates Professor Barré-Sinoussi and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, to carry messages to
audiences that we never had access to before.
Treatment: The “treatment mortgage” has been portrayed as a financial debt. But we know
that treatment is a smart global health investment. It reduces HIV transmission, TB infection
and maternal and child mortality, and improves work productivity. The most recent evidence
presented by Julio Montaner and other visionaries supports these facts and tells us that we need
to introduce treatment earlier.
We now know that treatment not only saves lives, it is one of the most potent prevention
tools we have. Now is the time to think outside the box on the future of HIV treatment. A
more effective, affordable and sustainable approach to treatment is within our grasp. To this
end, we have started a dialogue on what we are calling Treatment 2.0—the next generation of
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HIV treatment. Through this approach, we can rapidly scale up access by radically simplifying
treatment. We can save lives, save resources and dramatically reduce new infections.
With 10 million people still awaiting access to treatment, nothing other than a quantum leap
forward will enable us to bridge the treatment gap.
The success of this new treatment paradigm will be determined by how well we engage people
living with HIV and mobilize communities to demand care and implement task-shifting approaches.
The Secretariat is working closely with WHO and other Cosponsors to advance this agenda
with some of the world’s leading scientists and academics, people living with HIV, clinicians, and
community-based organizations. Working together, I am confident that the International AIDS
Conference in Vienna will provide a forum to take Treatment 2.0 boldly forward.
Human rights and laws: Punitive laws that criminalize men who have sex with men, sex workers
and their clients and people who inject drugs remain wide-spread—and in many countries are
on the rise. And travel and residence restrictions in 52 countries are still barriers for millions of
people living with HIV.
We cannot reach men who have sex with men with life-saving public health services if their
behaviour is against the law. We cannot ensure people who inject drugs and sex workers have
access to harm reduction and HIV prevention services if they are in fear of being arrested.
This is why the recent case of the two gay men in Malawi is so important. We were pleased
that a few days after Michel Kazatchkine and I led a joint advocacy mission, the UN SecretaryGeneral was able to request and announce their release by the President of Malawi.
During the last year, UNAIDS also received invaluable support from the UN Secretary-General
in a major push to end travel restrictions against people living with HIV. In January, President
Obama lifted travel restrictions on people living with HIV that had been in place in the USA
for 22 years. On the eve of the Shanghai World Expo, the Government of China also removed
HIV travel restrictions. Several other countries, including Namibia and Ukraine, have pledged
to take similar steps. I am especially pleased that our push was reinforced by Parliamentarians
at the 122nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Bangkok who called on all
governments to remove travel restrictions for people living with HIV.
We must continue to press for the lifting of similar restrictions and other punitive laws
everywhere we work. I want to welcome the recent progress in El Salvador, Fiji and elsewhere
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prevention, treatment, human rights, laws, integration
to promote non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
I also want to welcome the recent resolution of the Africa Union’s Commission on Human
and Peoples’ Rights to establish a committee on the protection of the rights of people living
with HIV and those most at risk, vulnerable and affected by HIV. This committee will have
the mandate to give special attention to persons belonging to vulnerable groups, including
women, children, sex workers, migrants, men having sex with men, intravenous drug users and
prisoners.
These are vivid examples of how UNAIDS is able to advance the AIDS response by promoting
action on punitive laws and human rights. We will continue to work closely with our partners
to counter all HIV-related stigma and discrimination.
Integration: We cannot achieve a prevention revolution or implement Treatment 2.0 without
promoting an integrated health and development agenda. I have been advocating that we
take the AIDS response out of isolation so that every dollar invested in AIDS is a dollar that
strengthens national health systems.
This month I spoke at the Women Deliver conference on the integration of MDGs 4, 5 and 6.
I stressed that we must move past the false and dangerous dichotomy being created and position
the AIDS response with our allies in the movements for maternal, newborn, child and sexual
health and even in the fight against women’s cancer.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon could not have been clearer when he wrote,
“Universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support represents an essential bridge
towards achieving the full range of Millennium Development Goals.”
The international community agrees that the MDGs will not be achieved without also
ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights. So, why has it been
so difficult to put an integrated approach into practice? At yesterday’s thematic session, we
deliberated on the best ways to do this. UNAIDS will work with all stakeholders to implement
the practical steps we identified.
These breakthrough strategies cannot be achieved without more people-centred and resultsbased strategic partnerships.
With our people-centered partnership, we will work with communities to strengthen
approaches to end stigma and discrimination and promote “positive health, dignity, and
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prevention.” We will put people living with HIV, affected communities and vulnerable
populations at the centre of our response.
Now back to our five challenges.
The third challenge for UNAIDS is to increase flexibility and responsiveness. Resources
must be deployed to foster national ownership so that countries can make evidence-informed
decisions, invest funds where they are most needed and achieve better outcomes.
Fortunately, we are finally moving on a dialogue with donors, civil society and country partners
on how to enhance national ownership of a sustainable response supported with predictable
and long-term financing.
UNAIDS is receiving more requests for technical assistance from countries around Global
Fund, PEPFAR and other programmes, but additional financial support will be needed
to effectively respond to country needs in accessing and managing this support. Our new
Technical Support Strategy covers the modalities of all Cosponsors and aims to build capacity
in regions among academic institutions, civil society organizations and regional networks.
Above all UNAIDS support must promote South-South cooperation and strengthen capacities
and systems for effective national ownership of sustainable AIDS responses.
The role of the Secretariat in this is to identify the technical support needs of national partners,
define quality standards, broker support from various partners to respond to country needs,
build capacity of providers and monitor and hold partners to account.
Earlier this year, I was present when Kenya launched its third-generation national strategic plan, built
on one of the best evidence bases that I have ever seen in Africa. Scientific analyses, such as a robust
modes of transmission studies, are being put to work to understand and react to shifts in dynamic
epidemics. This is a major boost for an evidence-driven approach to tackling transmission.
Strategic information is only useful if it leads to better resource allocation. This will require
countries to make difficult choices and trade-offs, and UNAIDS will support countries to make
these choices based on scientific evidence and technical criteria for prioritization.
Our current approach to supporting countries with their Global Fund proposals reflects this
better prioritization. Responding the expressed needs of countries, together with WHO and
other Cosponsors we have identified 20 countries for intensive support for Global Fund
Round 10.
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U N A I D S p os t-s e c ond indepe nd en t eval uat io n: mov ing for ward
UNAIDS also has an important role in addressing bottlenecks and getting resources to flow. We
have recently undertaken joint missions with the Global Fund have helped to unblock funding
in Chad, Mauritania and Uganda. In the case of Uganda, we took the lead in brokering the
release of $102 million of funds that were blocked for over a year.
Fourth, I am working to make the UNAIDS Secretariat more efficient. This begins with our
systems to recruit and manage people and our organizational structure. Our staff is our greatest
asset, and we deliver through our people.
In June, we defined a new organizational structure here in Geneva. The new organigramme has
limited the number of divisions per department, reduced the number of teams from 56 to 30,
and has simplified reporting lines in most cases from four or five layers to three. This reinforces
horizontal communication and collaboration and enhances staff accountability.
In consultation with our staff association, we are developing a comprehensive human resources
strategy, based on our new competency framework. This robust strategy will ensure we can
recruit, develop and maintain the staff of the highest calibre.
Gaining efficiencies also means reducing costs. The evaluation highlighted the inefficiencies
of two administrative systems—this dual system is more costly and leads to confused lines of
accountability.
We are in the midst of conducting a detailed assessment of the systems. We will make a
recommendation for a single administrative system to the 27th PCB meeting and we will be
prepared to implement it in 2011.
We have renegotiated the costs of some of core administrative services, saving $2 million. Costs
for shipping and distribution of publications will be reduced 40% compared to last biennium.
The procurement of more competitive translation services, training and printing services is
saving us 20% against the lowest prices we paid in the past.
I committed the Secretariat to achieving a 25% reduction in travel and meeting costs in this
biennium. By encouraging greater use of video and teleconferencing, and by being more
strategic about travel and meetings costs, we are on track to meet this target and have achieved
10% savings already this year.
I welcome and look forward to being part of United Kingdom’s Department for International
Development’s multilateral aid review to demonstrate our value-for money in aid spending.
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T h e fruits o f B a n g k o k
This will help us to discover ways to further improve our efficiencies and effectiveness.
Finally, UNAIDS is becoming more accountable. Being more accountable starts with financial
and human resources accountability in the Secretariat. I am pleased to announce that UNAIDS
achieved a very positive—indeed “unqualified”—audit opinion. I am committed to introducing
a substantially improved UBW from 2012 onwards as requested by the evaluation and the PCB.
To increase country-focused results, UNAIDS must be more precise in its country-level
resources and staffing. We will have a plan by the end of the year for the optimal configuration
of Secretariat staff in the field based on the needs of the epidemic.
With the Cosponsors, we are also conducting a capacity needs assessment that includes a
review of all Joint Programme staff at the country, regional and global levels so that we can best
design what the joint teams on AIDS should look like in each country and region. This is an
unprecedented opportunity to be at the forefront of UN reform by showing that we can be
transparent, accountable and flexible while adapting to country needs.
The fruits of Bangkok
As directed by the Board, we convened a multi-stakeholder consultation on implementation
of the recommendations of the Second Independent Evaluation in Bangkok. Participants gave
voice to the voiceless and I found it immensely valuable. Now we have enough substance to
build one overarching strategic plan for the future of UNAIDS.
A plan which incorporates the bold results of the Outcome Framework, rationalizes our
approach to partnership, resource mobilisation, and the division of labour—and responds to
the key issues concerning PCB governance. This will simplify and enrich the work of the Joint
Programme and will allow us to focus on serving the people, not serving the bureaucracy.
So that we can focus on developing an overarching strategic plan, I would ask the Board to
carefully consider the introduction of additional decision-points. Already we have a number
of processes to respond to the many recommendations to make UNAIDS more effective and
efficient. I ask that we do not debate the details of each of these processes in a piecemeal
manner. For UNAIDS, these processes represent essential parts of a coherent strategic plan that
will be presented to the 27th PCB meeting in December. One document that shows clearly
how all these elements fit together. Let us work together to create a clear path which avoids
dead-ends and time-consuming detours
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Rest assured that you will all have ample opportunities to provide your feedback on the
strategic plan before it is presented for your consideration and approval. Anything less would
not provide UNAIDS with a strategic document that will be owned and supported by all.
Finally, the report of the PCB task force on governance represents a welcome package of
reform. I would welcome the continuation of the group to complete its work, especially on the
issue of PCB decision-making.
Conclusion
My friends, we must draw on the collective insights and experience of our Board to transform UNAIDS into the 21st Century organization our constituencies deserve. The evaluation
provides a huge opportunity to usher in changes appropriate to the times and circumstances in
which we live.
It is in this vein that I urge this Board to embrace the reframing of the AIDS response that I
have described to you today as we move to Vienna and beyond. The men, women, and children
at risk or living with HIV do not have time to lose.
Let us work together to bring about a world with zero new infections, zero discrimination and
zero AIDS-related deaths.
Please allow me to conclude with a quote from Shakespeare.
There is a tide in the affairs of men.
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
On such a full sea are we now afloat,
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.
Thank you
Michel Sidibé
Executive Director
UNAIDS
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UNAIDS
20 AVENUE APPIA
CH-1211 GENEVA 27
SWITZERLAND
Tel.: (+41) 22 791 36 66
Fax: (+41) 22 791 48 35
e-mail: [email protected]
www.unaids.org